RMI Students Move Toward Healthy Living - English_Marshallese sub

On Friday August 29thth, the Marshall Islands Public School system joined other key allies in a long awaited assault on non-communicable diseases (NCD's), Marshall Islands Middle School, has agreed to become a "Pilot Project School" for what has been dubbed by its designers as the "Emergency Comprehensive Health Initiative". "This program will provide students the tools they need to combat NCD's like Obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes", said Majuro Middle School Principal Lenn Lenja & Majuro Middle School Vice-Principal Atte Lang "Our objectives are pretty simple 1) to teach every child about chronic NCD's, what causes them, how to avoid them, and if necessary, how to reverse them. 2) to facilitate a new focus on Physical Education, Recreation, and a lifelong fitness-oriented lifestyle. "This movement is the product of extensive collaboration among various government agencies and officials including the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, the Wellness Center, and the World Diabetes Foundation" said Kumit Wellness Center Director Denis Yates. " In addition to the education and fitness components of the program, we will also teach gardening as an important skill and we will work with the schools to redouble efforts at providing healthy food choices for students during the school day, said Yates. "We are just thrilled that we're getting started with the program at our school, added Principal Lenja. I'm so very thankful for the leadership and teamwork we're seeing from the community and our staff here at the middle school. I'm very proud of them. Everyone has worked tirelessly to help us get to this point. The time is right," said the Principal "According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 80% of all Type II diabetes, Heart disease, Obesity, and Obesity related ailments can be prevented or remedied by the kinds of things we will be teaching the students to do," Yates said. "We've been partnered with the Ministry of Health and doing important work for many years. Now, with the Ministry of Education, the schools, and many of the churches joining in, we believe we can get the kind of programs in place that can set the stage for victory. This is one of the things that is so amazing and so motivating, this can be done," said the Wellness center director. "The transition back to traditional local foods and an active lifestyle is, for the most part, all that's needed. I believe the time is right and everyone agrees, we owe this to our children," said Yates. "Again, we are very thankful for the help of everyone involved and we are truly excited. This effort will not only be successful, but it will also be empowering and lots of fun. Teachers, administrators, students, and parents alike will have a great time taking part in this dramatic move towards victory over diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity related ailments that are now causing premature death and great cost to the people, government, and communities of the RMI. If we do this well, our new partnerships will mark the return to the traditional health, wellness and exciting, positive active lifestyle, the people of the RMI enjoyed just a short time ago" he said. NOTE: PLEASE EXCUSE THE POOR AUDIO QUALITY OF THIS VIDEO ... IT IS DUE TO YOUTUBE UPLOADING PROCESS ... THE ORIGINAL VIDEO AUDIO TRACK IS FINE ... LIKE 1000'S OF OTHER YOUTUBE USERS. WE HAVE NOT FOUND A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM :(